How much housing does West Hollywood have?

We don’t know exactly how many housing units West Hollywood has. The most current estimate is 25,134 as of January, 2015. It comes from the California Department of Finance. It includes owned and rented units, occupied and unoccupied. One advantage of this estimate is that it’s consistent with our sense that housing has been added since the 2010 Census, which recorded 24,588 units.

Other estimates for West Hollywood housing units

The two other estimates come from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). For a small city like West Hollywood, it takes at least three years of survey data to get a good estimate. The table below shows the estimates plus the actual count from the 2010 Census.

SOURCE

HOUSING UNITS

OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS

California Department of Finance, January 1, 2015

25,134

23,012

Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2000-2014

23,789

21,808

Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2011-2013

23,656

21,777

Census Bureau, 2010 Census

24,588

22,511

For the five-year period from 2010 to 2014, the ACS estimate is 23,789 housing units. The number for 2011 to 2013 is quite similar: 23,656. These estimates aren’t dramatically different from the State’s number, but the difference is larger than the ACS’s reported margin of error.

One advantage of the ACS estimates is that they fit with all of the other helpful numbers from the Census. One disadvantage is that they show a decline in housing units since 2010, which is contrary to our sense of things.

Number of West Hollywood housing units over time

The following chart shows that the net number of housing units hasn’t changed much over 25 years. Some units have been built, while others have been torn down or removed from the housing supply. The net effect has been small.

You can see the numbers by hovering over or touching each point in the chart. According to the State’s estimates, the number of units grew from 23,821 in 1990 to 25,134 in 2015. That’s about 1,300 units or 6% over 25 years. If we look at the Census estimates instead, the growth is even lower (3%).

Sources: State of California, Department of Finance: E-8 City/County/State Population and Housing Estimates, 4/1/1990 to 4/1/2000; E-8 Historical Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2000-2010. Sacramento, California, November, 2012; Report E-5, Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, January 1, 2011-2015, with 2010 Benchmark, May 1, 2015. Note: The 1990 number is for April 1, the rest are for January 1.

When West Hollywood housing units were added

More housing has been added in recent years — on a net basis — as can be seen in the chart below. The chart uses the State’s estimates. Half of the net units added since 1990 were added in the last six years. A third of the whole 25-year period’s increase in units happened in one year, 2014.

Source: Calculated from State of California, Department of Finance, same reports as previous chart.

Short answer: About 24,000 or 25,000 housing units|
We don't know exactly how many housing units West Hollywood has. The most current estimate is 25,134 as of January, 2015. It comes from the California Department of Finance. It includes owned and rented units, occupied and unoccupied. One advantage of...

DavidWarrendavid_warren@post.harvard.eduAdministratorWeHo by the Numbers

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reports using data to explore city government policy, performance, and community issues. Focused on West Hollywood (WeHo), Beverly Hills, Culver City, Los Angeles, and Santa Monica. Researched and written by David Warren as a private citizen. This is not a government website.